The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated the artificial sweetener aspartame as a “possible carcinogen.” This classification applies specifically to its use in diet drinks, chewing gum, gelatin, ice cream, and dairy products. The evaluation of aspartame’s health effects was conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), consisting of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The IARC classified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” due to “limited evidence” of its carcinogenicity in humans. The JECFA, on the other hand, reaffirmed the acceptable daily intake of 40 mg per kg body weight for aspartame. While the safety of aspartame at commonly used doses is not a major concern, the assessments have identified potential effects that require further investigation through more comprehensive studies, according to Dr. Francesco Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener widely used in various food and beverage products since the 1980s, including diet drinks, chewing gum, gelatin, ice cream, yogurt, breakfast cereal, toothpaste, cough drops, and chewable vitamins. The IARC and the WHO conducted separate but complementary reviews to evaluate the potential carcinogenic hazard and other health risks associated with aspartame consumption.
The IARC and WHO will continue to monitor new evidence on aspartame
Based on limited evidence of cancer in humans, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer), limited evidence of cancer in experimental animals, and limited evidence of potential mechanisms for causing cancer, the WHO has classified aspartame as a possible carcinogen. However, the JECFA concluded that there is no sufficient reason to change the previously established acceptable daily intake of 0–40 mg per kg body weight for aspartame, reaffirming its safety within this limit.
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To exceed the acceptable daily intake, an adult weighing 70 kg would need to consume more than 9–14 cans of diet soft drink containing 200 or 300 mg of aspartame per day, assuming no other sources of aspartame intake, according to the WHO. The findings highlight the need for further research to better understand the potential carcinogenic hazards associated with aspartame consumption, including both its limited evidence in humans and animals and the limited understanding of its mechanistic pathways, as stated by Dr. Mary Schubauer-Berigan of the IARC Monographs programme.
The IARC and WHO will continue to monitor new evidence and encourage independent research groups to conduct further studies on the potential connection between aspartame exposure and its effects on consumer health.
